Leaving the lab for a career in media
01 August 2008
Adam Hart Davis originally trained as a chemist, doing a PhD in organometallic chemistry at the University of York and then postdoctoral research at the University of Alberta, Canada. He now works as a freelance writer, photographer and broadcaster.
He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the RSC in 2007.
Q Why did you decide to leave academia for a career in media?
A Mainly, I left chemistry because at the time there were no jobs. After a couple of years as a post-doc I applied for all the jobs in organic chemistry in Canada and the UK. I was living with a wife and two children in a one
There was a job in the New Scientist as a science editor at Oxford University Press. I got the job and for five years I edited first science books and then chess books.
Then I got bored and thought "What else can I do?" I asked for a job at Yorkshire Television, and became
a researcher in the science department. That was wonderful fun. I learnt an enormous amount and did some of my best science there ever. We had to just dream up ways of doing demonstrations.
Q How useful was your science background as a researcher at Yorkshire Television?
A Being a scientist made a huge difference. We were about two-thirds scientists in the science department and I found that immensely helpful. The boss was an Oxford chemist and when he needed people he didn't advertise, he went to the Oxbridge recruitment place and said "who have you got?"
I have subsequently suffered a lot with having non-scientists as producers.
Q What do you think is the most effective way of communicating science?
A I think enthusiasm in the end - that's what people say to me.
But I also think practical demonstrations are very important. When we started doing Local Heroes, Paul Bader was the producer and I was the presenter; we had nobody else. We made the demos ourselves in our workshop, and they were all made out of scrap wood and saucepans, stolen from our wives.
The result was a viewer could see how it was done and how simple it was. Transparent simple demonstrations gave the viewer the feeling that they really understood it and could do it themselves. It was really empowering. So enthusiasm and a bit of hands on - it really matters.
Q Communicating science is obviously a passion of yours, but do you ever miss working in the lab?
A Yes I do! When I talk to real chemists, I have various friends who still work in labs, I suddenly say: "Yeah, but why didn't you try the carbonyl, or why didn't you try this solvent?"
I'm still interested. Most of the stuff they do is beyond me now. Things have moved on so far since I've been in the lab but I still find it very fascinating when I get to talk to someone who's actually on the bench.
